Good morning; on the Beacon today, the Environmental Protection Agency says efforts to remove contaminated sediment from the Whitefish River are taking longer than expected. A parole hearing is scheduled Tuesday in Deer Lodge in the case of a 59-year-old Oklahoma man, J.R. Fletcher, convicted in the 1979 murder of a Polebridge man.The Hennefords are celebrating their 20th year running Flathead Gymnastics. During a Nov. 19 meeting, Flathead County commissioners and officials from the planning office discussed 11 possible steps to clarify the county’s neighborhood planning process. The pedestrian and bike paths in Whitefish provide a unique opportunity for residents to enjoy the changing weather without having to commute. And Kitchen Guy Jim Gray praises the wines of Walla Walla, Washington.
Marc Mariani scored the go-ahead touchdown, on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Selle with 1:08 to play Saturday to cap a 27-point second-half comeback and give top-seeded Montana a 61-48 victory over South Dakota State in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. With the Senate set to begin debate Monday on President Barack Obama’s signature domestic issue, the all-hands-on-deck Democratic coalition that allowed the health care reform legislation to advance is coming apart. Leaders in Great Falls are rethinking the city’s ban on smoking within 20 feet of buildings. Clayton Schenck, Montana’s longest-serving legislative fiscal analyst, is retiring at year’s end. A medical marijuana dispensary has opened in Missoula. And Montana students in 2-year schools rack up a surprising amount of debt.